Edge seal with sidewall seal

ABSTRACT

A resilient seal for mobile living quarters around a slide out room that includes a pair of mounting portions extending along the inside and outside surfaces of the main living area wall at an aperture through which the slide out room moves and further includes a connecting member extending between the attaching members and along the edge of the wall defining the aperture. The seal includes a flexible protrusion that can conform to an irregular surface or for accommodating walls of different thicknesses. A wiper seal extends from the connecting member to flex against the walls of the slide out room.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priorityfrom the prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/242,002, filed Apr.1, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recreational vehicles such as motor homes and travel trailers arecommonly equipped with one or more slide out rooms that are retractedwithin the main living quarters when the unit is transported, but can beextended from the main living quarters to provide auxiliary space whenthe unit is parked. Commonly, bulb seals extend around the aperturedefined in the outside of the sidewall of the main living quartersthrough which the slide out room extends and retracts. This seal isengaged by a first flange on the exterior side of the slide out room toseal the gap between the slide out room and the main living quarterswhen the slide out room is retracted. Similarly, a second bulb sealextends around the aperture on the inside of the sidewall and is engagedby a second flange on the interior side of the slide out room when theslide out room is extended for use. Wiper seals are mounted on sidewallsadjacent to the aperture and are flexed against corresponding walls ofthe slide out room. The bulb seals seal the slide out room in theextended and retracted positions, and the wiper seal wipes against theslide out room as it is extended and retracted to prevent moisture anddebris from entering the vehicle. While the seals of the aforementionedpatents accomplished their task successfully, there were issues withsealing to an outside wall that is ribbed or patterned. Seals are mostinexpensively produced from a single extrusion, making a cross sectionalshape relatively easy, but lengthwise features nearly impossible.Affixing a seal to the non-movable part of the room meant additionalsealing compound needed to be added to fill in gaps between the seal andthe mounting surface. Ideally, a single seal installed withoutadditional steps or materials would simplify installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a resilient seal for mobile living quartersis provided for sealing around a slide out room of mobile livingquarters having an aperture slidably receiving a slide out room. Theresilient seal has a pair of attaching members extending along theinside and outside surfaces of the main living area wall at the apertureand further include a connecting member extending between the attachingmembers and along the edge of the wall defining the aperture. A flipperextends from an attaching member such that the seal maintains contactwith different thicknesses of the main living quarter walls. The flipperflattens out with a thicker portion of the wall, and it extends inwardlyto meet up with a thinner portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the RV;

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of area 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seal base installed on a sidewall;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the seal structure fully installed on asidewall;

FIG. 5 is a section view 5-5 of the seal shown in FIG. 4 with the slideout room refracted;

FIG. 6 is a section view 6-6 of the seal shown in FIG. 4 with the slideout room refracted; and

FIG. 7 is a section view of the seal without the sidewall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, mobile living quarters, such as therecreational vehicle generally indicated at 10, includes side walls 12and a ceiling wall 14. The mobile living quarters shown in all FIGS is arecreational vehicle, but can apply to trailers or other spaces where amovable section is desired. The mobile living quarters 10 is mounted onwheels 16 for transport. An aperture is provided in one of the sidewalls 12 and slidably receives a slide out room 20. This is best seen inthe magnified view shown in FIG. 3. The side walls 12 and ceiling wall14 cooperate to define a main living area. The slide out room 20includes side walls 24, a ceiling wall, and a front wall 28. As known tothose skilled in the art, the slide out room 20 is mounted for movementthrough the aperture, so that it may be retracted into the main livingquarters 22 as is shown in FIG. 1 when the unit is transported, but canbe extended from the main living quarters when the unit is parked,thereby providing auxiliary living space. The slide out room 20 includesan exterior flange 30 extending around the side walls 24 and ceilingwall. The exterior flange 30 has an inside surface 32 designed to matewith a seal assembly 19. The slide out room 20 includes another flange,being an interior flange (not shown), extending around the side walls 24and ceiling wall at the ends thereof opposite the ends joined to thefront wall 28. The side walls 24, ceiling wall, and front wall 28cooperate to define an auxiliary living area 34 FIG. 2, which isavailable for use when the unit is parked and the slide out room 20 ismoved to the extended position.

The sidewall 12 can either be smooth or corrugated. In the RV shown inFIGS. 1-4, the exterior surface of the sidewall is made from corrugatedmetal 76. The corrugated metal 75 has a proud surface 72 and a recessedsurface 74. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the corrugated metal 75 isaffixed to the outside of the sidewall 12 and mated to the outer surface70 of the wall 12.

It is necessary to assure that moisture, dirt, debris, etc. be preventedfrom entering the living quarters. In FIG. 3 a seal base 18 is installedaround the inside perimeter 42 to the aperture and bulb seals 44 aresubsequently added to form a seal assembly 19. The seal assembly 19 mustprovide sealing at the extended position, retracted position, and allintermediate positions. The seal assembly 19 includes bulb seals 44mounted around the aperture on the exterior surface and the interiorsurface of the side wall 12 adjacent the aperture, and wiper seals 54engage the side walls 24 and ceiling wall 26 of the slide out room towipe against the walls as the slide out room 20 extends and retracts.Preferably, the seal base 18 and bulb seals 44 are made continuouslythrough an extrusion process and is consistent along its entire length,so that an appropriate length can be cut off and installed.

FIG. 4 shows the seal assembly 19 in perspective as it is assembled ontoa sidewall 12. The seal base 18 has a pair of mounting portionattachment members 36, 38, which are connected by a longitudinalconnecting member 40, which extends over the transverse edge 42 FIG. 3of the sidewall 12. The exterior mounting portion 36 has a mountingsurface 31 and the interior mounting portion 38 has a mounting surface33. The mounting portions 36, 38 include oppositely extending, rail-likeoutwardly facing tabs 51 which form a tongue. A clip part of the bulbseal 44 includes tabs 45 which form an inwardly facing groove defined bythe tabs 45. When the mounting portions 36, 38 and clip part areconnected together, the tongues fit into grooves as is shown in FIG. 7.The tabs 45 all extend lengthwise along the bulb seal 44 such that, oncefitted together, the bulb seal 44 may be slid along the length of themounting portion, and are flexible enough to allow them to snap pasteach other for assembly. It contemplates that the orientation of thetongue and groove can be reversed so that the tongue is on the bulb seal44 and the groove is on corresponding mounting portions 36, 38.Alternatively, the clip part of the bulb seal portion may be slid into amounting portion from an end of the seal. Preferably, the bulb seal isconstructed such that tabs 45 are more rigid than the wall 47. The bulbseals 44 have a wall 47 that is arcuately shaped. The wall 47 has aconsistent thickness as is shown in FIG. 7. The bulb seal 44 has aninternal web 37 that connects opposing sides of the wall 47 and isadjacent to the tongue 45. The web 37 prevents the opposing sides of thebulb seal 44 from separating, especially when the bulb seal 44 iscompressed against a surface such as inside surface 32 as shown in FIGS.5 and 6.

The seal base 18 contains a flipper 60 that extends from the exteriormounting portion 36, as shown on FIG. 7. The flipper 60 has a tip 56, anexterior surface 58 and an interior surface 62. The interior surface 62is adjacent to and intersects the mounting surface 31. The flipper 60 isattached to the exterior mounting portion 36 opposite the connectingmember 40 and extending at an obtuse angle therefrom in its relaxedposition. The flipper is flexible and is designed to conform to anirregular surface. As is shown in FIG. 4, the flipper flattens out tobecome substantially parallel to mounting surface 31 when it abuts theproud surface 72. This is particularly true when mounting surface 31 ispressed against a locally planar surface such as the proud surface 72 ofthe corrugated metal 76. It extends inwardly toward the recessed surface74. The flipper 60 has sufficient length and resilience for the tip 56to maintain contact to the proud surface 72, the recessed surface, 74and any transitional surface between. The flipper prevents gaps betweenthe seal 19 and the sidewall 12 from being created by the varyingdistance between the proud surface 72, and the recessed surface, 74 andthe seal assembly 19. At all locations where the flipper 60 contacts theexterior surface 58, it is in biased contact with the exterior surface58 due to its resilient nature.

When the slide out room 20 is fully retracted as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,the bulb seal 44 that is attached to the exterior mounting portionmember 36 is compressed against the inside surface 32 of the exteriorflange 30. The bulb seal 44 deforms as pressure is formed between thewall 47 and the inside surface 32, as is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

To facilitate installation of the seal 19 on the unit 10, the seal base18 is first wrapped around the sidewall 12 such that transverse edge 42abuts longitudinal connecting member 40, mounting surface 33 abuts theinner surface 52, mounting surface 31 abuts the proud surface 72 andrecessed surface 74. Screws 55 are then driven through exterior mountingportion 36, and interior mounting portion 38 between tongues into 12,preferably on the proud surface 72. Optionally, a strip of double sidedadhesive tape is affixed to any desired surface. The opposite side ofthe adhesive tape is covered by a protective removable coating thatprevents it from sticking to anything. Optionally, the seal base 18includes a strip of double sided adhesive tape attached to it andprotected with a protective removable coating on the side that faces theside wall 12. Once the seal base 18 is secured to the sidewall 12, thebulb seals 44 can be installed on each mounting portion 36, 38.

The seal assembly may be easily adapted to fit to different slide-outroom configurations by cutting any necessary length. A variety ofdifferent corner configurations in the opening may be easily adapted bycutting the bulb seal 44 to a different length than the seal base 18,and the wiper 54 may be cut to a third length if necessary. A variety ofdifferent gaps between the mobile living quarter's sidewall and theslide-out room sidewalls may be easily adapted to by adjusting thelateral position of the seal base 18 relative the sidewall or trimmingback the flipper 60. By mounting the seal base 18 and the bulb seal 44to the wall 12, subsequent repair and replacement of worn bulb seals 44may be easily performed without having to remove the slide out room 20from the opening in wall 12.

After adhesive tape is optionally attached to the outer surface andinner surface 52 of the side wall 12, the seal assembly 19 may be moresecurely attached to the corresponding inside and outside surfaces 52and 50 by appropriate mechanical fasteners. Screws 55 or nails may bedriven through the mounting portions 36, 38 into the side wall 12. Wiperseals 54 extend from the connecting portion 40 and are adapted to flexagainst the side walls 24 and ceiling wall of the slide out room 20during extension and retraction of the latter. The exterior mountingmember 36, and the interior mounting member 38, corresponding tongues,and bulb seal 44 form a pocket 46 that hides mechanical fasteners suchas screws 55 driven through the mounting portions 36, 38. FIG. 5illustrates this.

It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subjectmatter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter isnot limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments andaspects. No specific limitation with respect to the specific embodimentsdisclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may bemade to the disclosed subject matter as set forth in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A resilient seal for living quarters having mainliving area walls defining a main living area, an aperture in one ofsaid main living area walls slidably receiving a slide out room havingslide out room walls defining auxiliary living space, said main livingarea wall having an outside surface, an inside surface, and a transversesurface extending between said inside and outside surfaces, saidtransverse surface defining said aperture, said seal comprising: a sealbase formed of a single resilient member having a pair of mountingportions adapted to extend along said main living area wall adjacent tosaid aperture, one of said mounting portions including a flipperintegrally attached thereto, said flipper integrally connected to andfacing away its corresponding mounting portion; a connecting memberextending between said mounting portions of said seal base and adaptedto overlay said transverse surface; a bulb seal adapted for connectionto a corresponding mounting portion, said seal including a tongueconnector carried by one of said corresponding mounting portion and saidbulb seal and a groove connector carried by the other of saidcorresponding mounting portion and said bulb seal for releasablyfacilitating the connection of said bulb seal to said correspondingmounting portion; and said flipper having a proximal end attached tosaid mounting portion opposite said connecting member and distal endopposite said proximal end defining a terminal end of said flipper, saidflipper extending outwardly from said mounting portion so that saidproximal end is nearer said connecting member and said distal end isrelatively farther from said connecting member and said flipper adaptedto extend inwardly toward said living area.
 2. The resilient seal asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said distal end of said flipper is locatednearer said other mounting portion.
 3. The resilient seal as claimed inclaim 2, said mounting portion having outwardly facing tabs, said bulbseal having inwardly facing tabs to define said tongue and said grooveconnector.
 4. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidconnecting member includes a wiper extending substantiallyperpendicularly therefrom and adapted for engaging one of said slide outroom walls.
 5. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidinner wall of said bulb seal includes a web extending between opposingsides of said bulb seal such that compression of said bulb seal towardits corresponding mounting portion urges said protrusion to remainaffixed to said mounting portion.
 6. The resilient seal as claimed inclaim 5, wherein said slide out room is movable between fully extendedand fully retracted positions and carries a pair of offset flangesprojecting outwardly from said slide out room walls, one of said flangesengaging a corresponding one of said bulbs when said slide out room isin the fully extended position, the other flange engaging the other bulbseal when said slide out room is in the fully retracted position.
 7. Aresilient seal for living quarters having main living area wallsdefining a main living area, an aperture in one of said main living areawalls slidably receiving a slide out room having slide out room wallsdefining auxiliary living space, said main living area wall having anoutside surface, an inside surface, and a transverse surface extendingbetween said inside and outside surfaces, said transverse surfacedefining said aperture, said seal comprising: a seal base having a pairof mounting portions adapted to extend along said main living area walladjacent to said aperture, one of said mounting portions including aflipper integrally attached thereto, said flipper integrally connectedto and facing away its corresponding mounting portion; a connectingmember extending between said mounting portions of said seal base andadapted to overlay said transverse surface; and a bulb seal adapted forconnection to a corresponding mounting portion, said seal including atongue connector carried by one of said corresponding mounting portionand said bulb seal and a groove connector carried by the other of saidcorresponding mounting portion and said bulb seal for releasablyfacilitating the connection of said bulb seal to said correspondingmounting portion.
 8. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 7, saidflipper having a proximal end attached to said mounting portion oppositesaid connecting member and distal end opposite said proximal enddefining a terminal end of said flipper, said flipper extendingoutwardly from said mounting portion so that said proximal end is nearersaid connecting member and said distal end is relatively farther fromsaid connecting member.
 9. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 8,wherein said distal end of said flipper is located nearer said othermounting portion.
 10. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 9, whereinsaid connecting member includes a wiper extending substantiallyperpendicularly therefrom and adapted for engaging one of said slide outroom walls.
 11. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 10, said sealbase is formed from a single member.
 12. The resilient seal as claimedin claim 7, said flipper made from a lower durometer than said mountingportions of said seal base.
 13. The resilient seal as claimed in claim12, said mounting portion having outwardly facing tabs, said bulb sealhaving inwardly facing tabs to define said tongue and said grooveconnector.
 14. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 13, said flipperhaving a proximal end attached to said mounting portion opposite saidconnecting member and distal end opposite said proximal end defining aterminal end of said flipper, said flipper extending outwardly from saidmounting portion so that said proximal end is nearer said connectingmember and said distal end of said flipper is located nearer said othermounting portion and said flipper adapted to extend inwardly toward saidliving area.
 15. The resilient seal as claimed in claim 14, wherein saidinner wall of said bulb seal includes a web extending between opposingsides of said bulb seal such that compression of said bulb seal towardits corresponding mounting portion urges said protrusion to remainaffixed to said mounting portion.
 16. The resilient seal as claimed inclaim 7, said connecting member flexibly attached to said mountingportions.